Bottom Lounge

by cmo2user

19 Nov 2015

Split into three distinct sections, the massive new Bottom Lounge reopened on the Near West Side in 2008. (Its original location in Lakeview closed in 2005, shut down by CTA expansion.) The main venue area (capacity of 700) books some primo bands, often across rock and rap but also Americana, electronica, metal, and more—and the sound quality almost always is on point.

If you want to hang, eat and drink, or host an event, the other two sections offer plenty of options. The restaurant/bar area has a pretty lackluster menu but a sizeable selection of beer in bottles and cans, and as one of the city’s many official Blackhawks bars, the atmosphere is great for a hockey game. (You even can catch a free lift on the venue’s Blackhawks bus to and from the nearby United Center.) Upstairs, the “Volcano Room” provides a tiki-like environment and a rooftop deck, the latter of which gives a beautiful view of the surrounding skyline.

Located just off “Restaurant Row,” the Bottom Lounge is walkable from the Ashland-Lake Green and Pink Line stop. Parking on or around Lake Street is viable too, but watch for restrictions and potentially sketchy construction areas.